400 Mr. Pepys on the Decomposition y \^c, 



the bottom of the vessel a sediment consisting of the bones of several 

 mice, of small grains of pyrites, of sulphur, of crystallized green 

 sulphate of iron, and of black muddy oxyd of iron. 



These appearances may with much probability be attributed to the 

 mutual action of the animal matter and the sulphate of iron, by 

 which a portion of the metallic salt seems to have been entirely 

 deoxygenated. 



